(Programming note: we discuss a Gortat/Boston trade rumor on a different thread. We will have a different trade thread for each Suns player)

Salary/situation review

Williams makes $4.9m this year, $5.3m next and then has a team option for $6.7 in 2014/15 which has to be picked up by Oct 31, 2013. Then he'd be an RFA in 2015/16 with a $8.7m QO.

Dudley is owed $4.25m per year through 2014/15 w/ a player option at that same amount for 2015/16. Total obligation, $17m over 4 yrs. He's 27 now.

Player Review

Jared is a career 40% from three and has improved his ability to make plays on occasion and is crafty in the paint. At his best, he's a "junk yard dog" who saves/wins extra possessions. He is not athletic at all and gets beat off the dribble by most players but is a very smart team defender and has good intangibles.

We have no idea what Derrick Williams might be in the NBA, but it's safe to say his draft scouting report still applies (although he's clearly not produced which might be situational or he might just be ill-suited for the NBA). He did score 10 quick points in the Suns/Wolves game on two three-pointers and a couple close-in shots.

How would each fit?

For the Wolves, Jared would step right in as a bench wing and could eat up 20-30 mpg off the bench. He brings consistent outside shooting, the potential for the occasional "explosive" game, and solid leadership. Dudley is a perfect example of the term "role player" and is a great fit on a talented team but his ceiling has pretty much been reached (exceeded perhaps).

For the Suns, Williams is another risk/reward project who would fight for time at the four with Markieff Morris and the three with Beasley (again). Needless to say, this move hurts the Suns in the short term and helps the Wolves immediately. But without a clear long term solution at PF, Williams would leave Love's shadow and have a chance to MAYBE become a legit NBA starter.

Let's ask some folks their opinions...

1. Would you do the deal straight up?

Mike Prada, SB Nation: Yes. The Timberwolves are built to win now and need some more help on the wings with the injury to Chase Budinger. Dudley is the kind of player who will slot in well in Rick Adelman's system. Williams is not. For the Suns, though, Williams has a much better chance of being a core piece to the team moving forward as they rebuild.

Nate, Canis Hoopus (SB Nation Wolves blog): Yes. A million times, yes. Jared Dudley is worth significantly more than a toaster, which is Derrick Williams' current trade value. Actually, that's not completely fair. Derrick Williams has been playing better of late and his main drawback is specific to the Wolves: He plays the same position as the team's best two players, Kevin Love and Andrei Kirelenko. Also, Dante Cunningham gives the team all the backup 4 minutes it needs while being able to modestly produce on both ends of the court.

Dave King, BSotS: No. Dudley is a winner who makes all the right plays and actually has the best defensive rating on the team this season. He just does everything right (though not eye-popping) and would help any team win more games than the average player. Derrick Williams is closer to Beasley/Johnson/top-pick-bust than anything else right now.

Kris Habbas, BSotS/SB Nation AZ/SB Nation NBA: I say no. Straight up the deal gives the Suns a young player to groom, but subtracts a leader, shot-maker, and a very nice contract. Dudley has a Top 10 contract in terms of his productivity and that has to be discussed here. Straight up the deal gives the team another three/four leaving the bulk of the guard duties to Dragic, Brown, and Bassy?Tough.

Jim Coughenour, BSotS: No. I think Dudley's trade value will continue to increase as the trade deadline approaches and contending teams become more desperate for players with a desirable skill set like Dudley possesses. Career 41% three point shooters are always in demand without even considering other positives Jared brings (like a very favorable contract). Desperation is great for leverage.

2. Would you do the deal with modifications (picks, additional players, etc.)?

MP: I think Minnesota would have to throw in something else. Not sure what.

Nate: Only if Phoenix is willing to take Lou Amundson or Greg Stiemsma. Minny has something of a shortage on the perimeter and they simply can't throw in anything else right now.

DK: Only if Minny adds a #1 pick that has little/no protection (in addition to the one already owed for taking Johnson). Not sure if Minny has any extra picks, but the Suns have to get something more than Williams, and more than Williams plus second-round pick.

KH: Add in a 2014 unprotected first round pick and I would deal any Suns player to any team right now. If the Wolves are willing to send back Stiemsma or Cunningham they can have back their pick this year.

JC: I think I would do it if they make the transfer of draft picks (between Memphis, Minnesota and Phoenix) less muddled by giving Phoenix control of both. I'm not sure I like any other players on Minnesota's roster (that they'd be willing to trade) so any other variation would have to include a third team.

3. Who wins this trade?

MP: It's a win-win for all the reasons I noted above. I do think the biggest winner is WIlliams, though. He gets away from a coach that clearly doesn't like his game and returns to the place where he starred in college.

Nate: Derrick Williams. He will finally make his way to a team that can play him at his natural position and for a coach who doesn't have him in the doghouse from day 1.

DK: Minny, no matter what they send back.

KH: No question if this trade happens the Wolves are the winners.

JC: Minnesota short term, with Phoenix having a chance at the biggest potential payoff in coming years.

4. Final Thoughts

MP: I do think the biggest winner is Williams, though. He gets away from a coach that clearly doesn't like his game and returns to the place where he starred in college.

Nate: Pleasssssssssse let this happen. Pretty please. The Wolves are hurting in a bad way on the wing and they need someone who can play the Chase Budinger role. Jared Dudley and J.J. Redick are the two most obvious D-Will trade targets in the entire league.

DK: I really don't like it because I really don't like Williams. He is a tweener that won't find a starting position in the NBA on a winning team - too small for PF, too slow/heavy for SF. Just not good enough at any one thing to be a difference-maker. He will be a disappointment in the NBA for his entire career.

KH: Obviously not the most politically correct thing to say, but trading one of your best players on a GREAT contract for another project that has proven he is a failure to launch in this league is not the answer. Gentry is struggling to set a rotation this year, picture next year with Gortat, Scola, Morris, Beasley, Tucker, and Williams. Thanks, but no thanks.

JC: I'm in favor of any trade that makes the Suns worse or better. I am absolutely not in favor of the Suns standing pat and venturing back into the tristful gloaming of purgatory that is the back end of the lottery. I'm fine with moving Dudley, but I'll actually be disappointed if they don't move Marcin Gortat.

Summary

How about you, Suns fans?

Are we overvaluing Jared Dudley? Or should we hold out for a lot more ransom? As Jim says, Jared might increase his trade value further as time passes. But then again, he might not.

(Programming note: we discuss Marcin Gortat trade rumors on a different thread. We will have a different trade thread for each Suns player)

Yet he is riding a "sinking boat" with the worst team in the Western Conference and, at 28, cannot be considered a building block for contention in the coming years. His very reasonable contract ($7.25 million this season, $7.72 million next) runs only one more year before he will want his last big contract which would likely be in the eight figures.

While Gortat's name has been mentioned in the past with Boston (pupu platter) and recently with Atlanta (Josh Smith), nothing concrete has come up lately. As one Dallas owner Mark Cuban put it recently, "If you hear it in the media it's not true. We don't talk [about the real deals)."

But Marcin isn't ready to jump ship, and certainly isn't asking to be moved.

"I don't feel like running away from the sinking boat," Gortat said. "I just don't feel comfortable doing it. Obviously, I would like to finish here. I would like to first of all, play better and help this team as much as possible. But if management decides to trade me, that's fine. That's part of the deal, part of being an NBA player. I would understand."

Markieff Morris

Maybe it's to get the Suns to throw in a young guy in return for a bigger package (like a Smith). Teams won't want to give up a huge talent or future #1 unless they get something too.

While Suns fans deride the front office for drafting Morris, who has yet to become a full-time starter and plays a very streaky game, it does appear that people throughout the NBA have respect for Morris' potential. Morris was ranked in the top-15 two years ago at draft time and was named by NBA assistant coaches to as rookie to the Rising Stars competition on All-Star weekend (out of 9 rookies). He is still among the top-10 second-year big men in just about any statistical ranking.

No rumors yet on who wants Morris and for what, but keep your ears open. As much as the Suns like this guy, the return for Morris would have be good.

"If they're a contender, and I'm going to get an opportunity to go compete in the playoffs and for the championship, then definitely, absolutely, right away," Telfair said. "But other than that, I'd rather stay with my guys that I'm with right now.... I ain't counting myself (out) as a Phoenix Sun yet."

But Bassy is #3 on a two-man depth chart, with #4 (Diante Garrett) just waiting in the wings for minutes on the worst in the West.

The Phoenix SunsMarcin Gortat, with a side of Jared Dudley came in 11th in the rankings. Seems fair. Remember, with ALL the "NBA sources" and ALL the "NBA insiders" together in Houston over the next few days we are almost assured to see an uptick in NBA Trade Rumors. Hang on to your socks!

11. MARCIN GORTAT, Phoenix Why isn't Gortat getting more attention? He seems like the classic example of a player who is in desperate need of a change of scenery. His numbers have suffered a bit without Steve Nash, but wouldn't anybody's? While we're on the Suns, Jared Dudley would also make a hell of a nice piece.

My only beef here is the exclusion of Sebastian Telfair and Jermaine O`Neal. As we have discussed many times on this great site, those guys are kind of obvious trade deadline deals. But, of course, from a national perspective they aren't exactly big ticket items.

Even more than Bassy to the Celtics, I think that J.O. to the Heat makes a ton of sense. The Heat certainly could use O'Neal's size and performance off their bench in certain playoff match-ups (Indy!) but they don't exactly have a lot to offer.

Young center Dexter Pitman's contract matches J.O. so that's easy and the Suns would get a young prospect to try out for the rest of the year. Pitman is putting up good D-league numbers (12 ppg, 9 rpg in only 25 mpg) and has been called up to the Heat a ton of times but has barely played (and done nothing worth noting).

I have a hard time seeing the Heat giving up a first round pick for J.O. and it probably doesn't matter since they've already traded away their 2013 and 2015 first rounders which means they can't legally trade their 2014. They do have a protected 2013 pick from Philly. I don't know if they are legally allowed to move that but it's likely moot since that price is too high for J.O....probably.

So, maybe Pitman and a 2nd rounder (which would likely have very little value to the Suns)? Is that enough for J.O.? I think so given where the Suns are. He's on an expiring contract anyway so even if the Suns like having him around for rebuilding vet leadership, they'd still have to convince him to stay which they could try and do anyway if they trade him.

Additional thought: Maybe there's a way to conditionally swap picks with Miami for that Philly pick if it turns out to be better than one of the other Suns picks? Clever, huh!